TPMS tool

[AJHD]

I'm trying to find an affordable (as cheap as possible) TPMS tool, something I can use to read, reset, relearn/reprogram sensors.

I found this one from Xtool on Amazon, does anyone have any experience with it or a suitable and comparable alternative?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BZ67RSF/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[71goldss]

delete

 

[signcrafter]

I have this autel and it's been great, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2DFXVTP/?tag=atomicindus08-20.

Most tools, including the xtool you linked to will only program their brand of sensors. Don't have any experience with xtool sensors but when I clicked your link they look very similar to the autel sensors and are dual frequency just like the autel. But I can get autel sensors at napa and other parts stores locally. I love the autel sensors because they are dual frequency and can snap onto a metal or rubber valve stem. Have installed close to 100 of them and they have worked great.

 

[ItsNemo]

I have the Autel TS501, works great and does the ECU relearn unlike the lower models. I believe the current version is the TS508.

 

[BrandonV]

Another +1 for the Autel. I have a higher end tool but as long as you keep it up to date I haven't found a vehicle it won't service the TPMS on yet.

The cheapest way to service a vehicle with TPMS is the Autel MaxiTPMS Pad. It plugs into a PC and with the free software will read the TPMS sensor ID from your existing sensor. If you're just looking to replace sensors it is capable of cloning or writing the old sensor ID into a new Autel universal sensor. No touching of the cars ECU.

I have one for sale if you're interested OP.

 

[AJHD]

I don't know the brand of sensors that are installed currently, I'd have to do some looking. Normally anything tire related is handled by Discount Tire, but I've been having issues with TPMS lately and I'd like to deal with it myself.

I don't have an expensive enough scan tool with TPMS capabilities, so I'd like to buy something stand alone and cheap. I'm not working in a shop, so this will be something I used maybe once a year.

I will look at those Autel options, but if I remember they're beyond my price range and I'd probably have to buy and have Autel sensors installed if they can't interact with whatever's installed.

Anyway... If it's not financially worth my time, I will just have Discount Tire take care of it when I have free time.

 

[signcrafter]

I don't know the brand of sensors that are installed currently, I'd have to do some looking. Normally anything tire related is handled by Discount Tire, but I've been having issues with TPMS lately and I'd like to deal with it myself.

I don't have an expensive enough scan tool with TPMS capabilities, so I'd like to buy something stand alone and cheap. I'm not working in a shop, so this will be something I used maybe once a year.

I will look at those Autel options, but if I remember they're beyond my price range and I'd probably have to buy and have Autel sensors installed if they can't interact with whatever's installed.

Anyway... If it's not financially worth my time, I will just have Discount Tire take care of it when I have free time.

Most likely you will be replacing at least one sensor anyways if you are having tpms issues. They go bad, there usually isn't much to diagnose besides using the tool to scan all sensors and find the bad one. Then clone a new one or program a new one to vehicle. That's about all the tpms tool does anyway. If sensors are good the tool has some limited diagnostic abilities but it's almost always just replacing a sensor and learning it. Do you have the ability to break the bead and replace the sensor? It's a pain without a tire machine but can be done. It's why I ended up buying a tire machine. I bought the autel and replaced a few sensors and decided to buy a tire machine, then a balancer. All paid for themselves in short time once people found out I had them and could do sensors. But if you are just looking to diagnose a bad sensor I would think most tools in any price range would be able to read a sensor to see if it's transmitting.

Had a guy with aftermarket rims that had no tpms sensors so he had discount tire put 4 sensors in when he had them put tires on. About 1 year later I replaced 3 of them because they were dead. They were some generic brand that were junk. He said they charged 65 bucks a piece for them. I charge 80 for an autel if all I'm doing is replacing the sensor and sensors cost me about 25 a piece. If I have the tire off for whatever reason already I will give them a break because I'm not removing and breaking down a tire just for the sensor.

 

[AJHD]

Thanks for the info. I will probably pass and just deal with Discount Tire for now. Revisit the issue when funds allow. Everything should be under warranty anyway.

 

[goblue1998]

I have the autel. It will read factory sensors and program those ids to the car. It will also program autel sensors to work with the car.

You won’t need to replace all the sensors to use the tool. I bought mine with 8 sensors for two sets of winter wheels and the scan tool was part of the package. I’ve been happy with it.

The autel sensors are about $20 inches each and discount wanted $60 each installed. So it nearly paid for itself in 4 wheels.

 

[BrandonV]

Thanks for the info. I will probably pass and just deal with Discount Tire for now. Revisit the issue when funds allow. Everything should be under warranty anyway.

What I've always done is bought the OEM TPMS sensors elsewhere for my vehicle and had Discount Tire install them.

I don't think they've ever charged me. I get worried about the universal sensors at times. I just make sure they're programmed already and just not registered.